Pulmonary arterial hypertension is one of the leading causes of death for patients with scleroderma, a disease that literally means "hard skin," but oftentimes affects internal organs with life-threatening consequences. Approximately four out of five scleroderma patients are women with onset between the ages of 20 and 50, but the disease also strikes men and children across all ages and ethnic boundaries.

"This will be the seventh webinar in our series," explains SRF Executive Director Amy Hewitt. "Our goal is not only to educate scleroderma patients, but also to raise awareness and provide a valuable library of resources for those who care for them."

About Scleroderma Research Foundation: The SRF is America's leading nonprofit investor in scleroderma research. It was founded in San Francisco in 1987 by scleroderma patient Sharon Monsky who lost her battle to the disease in 2002. Monsky's legacy lives on through the organization, chaired by Luke Evnin, Ph.D., managing partner of MPM Capital, one of the world's largest dedicated investors in life sciences.

The Foundation's collaborative approach is enabling leading scientists to work together and develop an understanding of how scleroderma begins, how it progresses and what can be done to slow, halt or reverse the disease process.